Hankook tyre care guide

We often get inquiries from customers about tyre care so we thought you folks out there may be interested in this tyre care guide from Hankook Tyre USA.

Important Safety Warning

Tyres really are a crucial factor in your vehicle’s safety. The can keep you safe and even save your life; but fail to maintain them and replace them when they are worn out or unsafe and they can be the cause of serious injury or even death. So for your protection and safety, the following maintenance and safety guidelines should be followed at all times.

Safety Check Lists

– Check tyre air pressure regularly, we suggest monthly.
– Inspect your tyres for uneven treadwear, cracks, bulges or any sign of foreign material or damage.
– Be aware of your tyres load carrying capacity and speed ratings and make sure you do not exceed them.
– Make checks of your tyres tread depth; WOF regulations state they must be replaced when the tread is down to 1.5 mm. But we recommend you fit new tyres when the tread falls below 3mm.
– Never overload your vehicle, check tyre load carrying capacity indicated on the tyre or vehicle owner’s manual for the maximum recommended load.

Tyre Damage

Inspect your tyres frequently for uneven wear, scrapes, bulges, separations, cuts, snags and other damage from road hazards. The inner sidewall of your tyre can be damaged from impact with objects on the road without it being visible to the outside. If you have any doubt that your tyre may have been damaged from hitting a pothole, curb or debris on the road, the tyres must be inspected on a vehicle hoist or removed from the wheel and inspected for damage by a qualified person such as an authorised Hankook tyre dealer. Uneven wear can lead to exposure of steel belts, internal damage or separation of the tread from the tyre casing.

Tyre Load

It is a WOF requirement that the load carrying capacity of the replacement tyre must always equal or exceed the load carrying capacity of the original equipment tyre and match the other tyre on the same axle. Tyres that are loaded in excess of allowable maximum run at a higher temperature causing increased wear and a deterioration in handling. In some cases overloading can result in the sudden destruction of tyre.

Speed

When replacing tyres, consult the placard or the owner’s manual for correct size and speed rating. The speed rating of the replacement tyres must be equal to or greater than the speed rating of the tyre being replaced to maintain the speed capability of the vehicle. Speed ratings do not mean that the vehicle can be safely driven at the maximum speeds for which tyre is rated. These are merely a statement as to the maximum speed a tyre is capable of. Serious injury or death may take place if you drive your vehicle in an unsafe or unlawful manner. Hankook’s speed symbol designations are verified to be in compliance with regulatory indoor test in accordance with ECE-R30,54 test. (Economic council for Europe : Procedure Load / Speed performance test for tires). These symbols are not applicable to the repaired tires.

Category

Maximum Speed

G

90 km/h

55 mph

J

100 km/h

62 mph

K

110 km/h

68 mph

L

120 km/h

74 mph

M

130 km/h

80 mph

N

140 km/h

87 mph

P

150 km/h

93 mph

O

160 km/h

99 mph

Category

Maximum Speed

R

170 km/h

105 mph

S

180 km/h

112 mph

T

190 km/h

118 mph

U

200 km/h

124 mph

H

210 km/h

130 mph

V

240 km/h

149 mph

W

270 km/h

168 mph

?ZR
Grade

Y

300 km/h

186 mph

Speed symbol can be shown from the tire
size for example P205/60R15 90 H

Tyre Repair

Tyre mounting and inflation can be very dangerous and shall be done only by specially trained persons using proper tools and procedures. Always have your Hankook dealer mount your tyres on rims. Serious physical injury or death may result from explosion of tyre / rim assembly due to improper mounting. The tyre diameter must always match the diameter of the rim on which it is being mounted. Never stand, lean or reach over the tyre/rim while inflating tyres.

Service Assistance

Make sure any repair shall be done by a specially trained person who knows proper repair and inspection procedure and uses and approved repair system. n.b. illegal string repairs frequently fail and can render a tyre unserviceable or even cause it to explode. Never repair tyres worn below the treadwear indicators (1.5 mm of tread remaining depth). Punctures through the tread can be repaired if they are not too large, but punctures to the sidewall should not be repaired at any time. Even properly repaired tyres often have to be removed from service because the repaired damage later develops into a more extensive damage. It is important to have all punctures repaired as soon as possible before damage to the tyres casing occurs.